IN AWE OF THE KING

Philippians 2:5-11 may be the most moving passage that Paul ever wrote to describe what Jesus has done for us. To the question, "Does God love us?" one only has to look at "The Wonderful Cross" of Jesus where "There Is a Fountain." Here in this text we discover just how far God went to provide salvation for us.

Background of the Text
* Many believe that this passage represents an ancient hymn. Hymns as well as spiritual songs reveal our theology, our thinking about God. Here is the theology behind the cross of Jesus.
* The entire story of Jesus is found in this passage. His pre-existence, birth, life, death, resurrection, and exaltation.
* As hymns go, we might divide this hymn into three verses: humiliation, exaltation, and invitation with each verse framed with the chorus, "Jesus is Lord!"

1. Humiliation (vv.5-8)
In describing the humiliation (incarnation, suffering, and death) of Jesus (vv.5-8), Paul first begins with the pre-existence and eternal nature of Jesus. Jesus did not come into existence at his birth (incarnation), Jesus was already "existing in the form of God" (v.6).

* That Jesus is God is the heart of the Gospel. As recorded in the four Gospels, "Who can heal? Who can forgive sins? Who can calm stormy winds? Calm troubled minds? Who can raise the dead?" Jesus can and does repeatedly because He is God!

* There are two words for "form" in the biblical language, "morphe," and "schema," both are used in this passage.
- "Morphe" is the essential form which never alters. For example, the "morphe" of any human being is humanity and this never changes. I once had a theology professor who made the statement that what separates all human beings or makes them different from one another is about 5 lbs. of skin. All people share essential humanity regardless of color, ethnicity, or geographical location. All people are created in God's image.

- "Schema" though is the outward form wh ...

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